Kindness
by AnbuWhiteEyes
Summary: A girl's internal conflict in the midst of the War of Emperium. Based on a real Ragnarok Online experience.


**Kindness **

(based on an RO experience)

"They're coming!"

She could barely move.

"The Lords of The Crown of Blades are coming!"

She could barely breathe.

"Quick! Get ready!"

Beads of sweat rolled down her smooth skin.

Temari stood, nearly frozen, at the narrow catwalk that led to their cherished rock – the emperium, an amber-colored crystal that symbolized power, the heart of her guild castle. A few minutes ago she was in high spirits, ready to stand ground and shoot anybody with her skillfully-built hunter's bow, but now…

He was coming. The one that Temari called a friend, the leader of an organization declared as mortal enemies of her beloved guild, was coming. The huntress felt her knees grow weak at the prospect of killing her old pal…

It had been a year ago when they first met in one rickety corner of the Aldebaran Clocktower. He had been badly wounded and was looking for a priest to ask for help when Temari came along with one of his close buddies – and a magical healing clip.

Since the day Temari had helped him they had always met on that very floor of the Tower. At first they merely nodded in greeting, but gradually the nod became minutes of conversation and mental communication, just to keep each other company during those lonely hours of solitude.

Months ago the King of Midgard had declared a tournament between guilds and organizations. The two of them were members of allied guilds, but a week before a deceitful character succeeded in destroying their alliance. What was once a strong bond of friendship between two guilds became a bitter feud that Temari felt had no end.

Roars of cast spells and shouts of people in battle could be heard down below as Temari stood on her ground, still undecided as what to do next.

_Wound him_, an inner voice at the back of her mind said. _Kill him if you have to, so long as you protect the principles and the guild that you love_.

No. I can't do this.

_Oh yes, you can_, the voice said. _You have killed many before you, you have fallen even the hardiest of knights – how can you not kill a mere assassin?_

"The assassin is getting away! Quick, after him!"

Temari felt her hand grow cold as the enemy – no, her friend – get closer. She saw him, running up the stairs, his purple coat tails trailing behind him, his lean body gracefully riding the wind as if he were part of it.

Then he saw her. He looked up to see the huntress, whose long elven green hair and eyes were a complement to his brown mane and pupils.

Temari wanted to look away, but something drew her to look at him longer. The assassin had stopped running; he stood looking at her, as flashes of determination and sympathy battled for supremacy in his eyes. A momentary but discomforting silence emanated between the two.

"There he is! Get him!"

Shouts from Temari's guildmates and murmurs of spellcasters broke the quiet between them.

"Temari," he called out.

She nearly wept.

"Let's do our best," he said.

The huntress could not take it anymore. She pulled the bowstrings hard, her eyes and arrow aimed straight for her friend's heart. The assassin began to ascend the steps once more, but was momentarily held back by Temari's companions.

_Here's your opportunity_, the inner voice said once more. _Do it! Now._

I can't! If I fight him our friendship will be destroyed forever!

_Now!_

I don't want to fight him. I don't want to hurt a friend!

_It's almost near the end of the siege time! Do it for the sake of your guild Temari, do it!_

Behind Temari's friend and nearly unnoticed by her companions was a heavily-armored knight, riding atop a pecopeco towards her. The warrior had an emblem similar to her friend's, and he was heading straight without anybody stopping him.

"Only thirty seconds left!"

"Oh no, they're getting away!"

Somehow, Temari's friend had managed to break free from the people who tried to stop him. He and his companions were nearing the narrow catwalk.

_Do it, Temari! Do it!_

I –

Temari suddenly felt a strange form of energy surge from the depths of herself. In a split-second, following her instinct, she ran across the pathway, quickly placing traps about and around the emperium.

The knight speeding on his pecopeco realized it too late. He had stepped into one of the traps, and was trying to break free, but to no avail.

Temari's friend, however, was quicker. He made a detour, and in a few quick strides he had reached the emperium, ready to break it down and install their own crystal…

"Noooooo!" Temari heard a voice come out of her mouth.

In a blink of an eye, the emperium disappeared, leaving nothing but thin air on the pedestal where it once stood.

Cheers and cries of joy filled the air as Temari's guildmates congratulated each other.

"Temari…"

Temari reluctantly looked towards her friend, her green eyes moist as streams of salty liquid flowed from them.

"Thank you… for treating us both with kindness…"

Temari glanced longer at her friend. He was smiling a smile neither of triumph nor defeat, but of some sort of happiness that the huntress could not fathom.

Then Temari understood. It was all seen in his dark eyes, which seemed to twinkle and turn brighter – like a dark sky lightening after a storm.

Yet it was not the light that made his eyes shine, but tears that he kept under control – until nobody else but him and Temari were left, when he was free to let the tears of happiness and friendship flow down…

**THE END.**


End file.
